bowling pin jesus ....

happy winter solstice .... today is the day with the shortest amount of daylight, tomorrow, we will have four more seconds of daylight than today .... and the next day, nine more seconds than that .... by the end of january, the day will have almost an hour more sunlight that today .... we are in the bleakest of days, but it is our tipping point towards .. towards what? less bleakness? flip flops and fourth of july picnics? this is almost to extraordinary to believe .... as it was nearly 70 degrees here today .... balmy ... and a bit disconcerting to be doing christmas chores and sweating .....

JOY post 22 ... christmas is SO very close ....

today's joy:  happy children as grandparents arrive, delivering christmas gifts, christmas cookies ..

preparation: 95% of my christmas cards were mailed today .. maybe even 99% .... 

serenity: i took a nap ... doesn't get more serene than that ... i had nothing so pressing to do that i couldn't grab my book and curl up in bed and read half a page before zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.... 

happy shot of the day: i have a small collection of nativities ... i especially like this one ... 

don't they all look like bowling pins? bowling pin jesus, bowling pin kings ... and look at those bowling pin animals ... i love them SO much .... i think the angel looks a bit maniacal... but i love mary in green .... if you were going to make a manger, what would you have mary wear? green works for me .... i wouldn't put any wise men in gray though .... i do love christmas time .... such a time of joy.... no gray, please!